New HAMMOND vs Old HAMMOND

Differences between new and old Hammonds

O.K. You’ve decided to own a Hammond. Naturally, you would like to pay as little as possible. So wouldn’t an older model be less expensive? YES, it could…

But there are some disadvantages

For one thing, an older model would be at least 40 years old, maybe even older. It would feature tone wheel technology that is no longer made. So what would happen when the tone wheel or other components fail?

Tooling equipment

Tooling equipment to make the tone wheels and other components of these older Hammonds does not exist. This means that the vibrato and chorus scanners, tone wheel chassis, pre-amp housings, motors, key channels, drawbar wiring, pedal pads, capacitors, contact assemblies and the keys cannot be manufactured. And the Hammond Suzuki factory does not carry any of them in stock.

Think about replacement parts

The only way to get a replacement part for an older Hammond is to get it from another older Hammond that still functions. And, in that case, you might as well purchase the entire organ. But that doesn’t make much sense, because its components are also old and apt to fail at any time.

Besides the problem of finding replacement parts for an older Hammond, you would also need to keep the organ lubricated, as well as regularly clean the busbar and vibrato-chorus scanner.

Maintenance for New Hammond

New Hammond organs, on the other hand, require minimal maintenance as there are no moving parts requiring periodic servicing and maintenance. Which means, new Hammond organs are more durable, reliable and do not require any maintenance to remain in tip-top playing condition.

Features of New Hammond

New Hammonds also have new features that older models don’t have, such as midi capability, velocity-sensitive keys, sequencing and the ability for you to shape you sound to your personal preference.

As the result of over 20 years’ digital development and technological innovation. This is why new Hammonds sound, play and feel exactly like the Hammonds of old.

New Hammond Advantages

Another major advantage you have with new Hammond’s is their weight. Our New B-3, for example, weighs some 40% less than the Original B-3. And our Portable B-3 weighs even less than that, and can be set up and taken down in a couple of minutes. Every new B-3 also has three different characteristic B-3 organs on board.

All about convenience & economics

From the standpoint of convenience and economics, you should definitely consider a new Hammond! You won’t be able to detect any difference in sound quality, playability and touch between a new and an older Hammond. And you will have an instrument that is lightweight, versatile and will last for many years.